Prospective Homecoming
by Alyssa86InMN
Summary: She's ready, but is he? My idea for Season 6 based on spoilers. "A love like yours and Agent Booth's will transcend time."
1. Preparations

**Everyone else was doing it, so I thought I'd do my take on what might happen in season 6. Sorry it's short, I just needed to end the chapter where it is.**

"So, are you going to tell him?"

"Yes, I believe I am."

"Oh! This is so exciting, Dr. Brennan!"

"Miss Wick, please calm down. There are many factors that might occur before I even have the chance to tell him. What if he has moved on? What if he found someone else while we were apart? I just can't go telling him about my recent understanding of my feelings for him without evaluating how our friendship was affected by our separation." Brennan responded, as she and Daisy left the airport terminal for the baggage claim.

"Agent Booth could never move on. I can tell by the way he looks at you, that his love for you is eternal. He'll never stop loving you."

"Love doesn't work like that, Miss Wick. Love does not last an eternity because eventually people die and that is the end."

"Oh Dr. Brennan, I respectfully disagree. A love like yours and Agent Booth's will transcend time." Daisy said, blissfully staring off into space.

"It's impossible to…" Brennan began.

"Lancelot!" Daisy squealed as she spotted Sweets waiting for her at baggage claim. She took off running for him leaving Brennan alone.

"Sweetie!"

Brennan recognized the voice and saw Angela standing near where Sweets was being mauled by Daisy. They both smiled as they approached each other. "Ange, you didn't have to come and get me." Brennan said, as they embraced in a hug.

"I couldn't let my best friend come home without a warm welcoming. Daisy was getting one and I knew Booth wasn't going to be here until later, so I had to." Angela said, smiling as they pulled away from each other. "God, Sweetie, I missed you so much! I have so much to tell you, as I am sure you do too."

"It'll have to be brief, though. I am meeting Booth at the reflecting pool in a couple of hours and I have something very important I need to discuss with him."

"Ooo! Please tell me! What is so important?" Brennan grinned sheepishly and that was all it took for Angela to start squealing. "Oh my God, Sweetie! You love him, don't you?" Brennan's smile got even wider, no longer afraid to admit what she was feeling.

Brennan went home to unpack a little, shower and change in preparation for her reunion with Booth. She was anxious, yet also very excited to see him. Had he changed over the year? She certainly had. She selfishly hoped he hadn't moved on, even though she basically insisted he do it. She worried about how she would approach the subject of a serious relationship after a year apart. It ruminated in her mind as she was putting the finishing touches to her outfit and her makeup before she needed to leave. Would she just blurt that she loved him? Was she going to run into his arms and kiss him like she dreamed of doing while in Maluku? Were they going to fall into their old patterns of dancing around their feelings? She couldn't let that happen. She'd spent far too long denying her feelings for him. She needed to tell him. She needed to know he still felt the same. Her brain was on overdrive thinking about everything that could happen. She'd find out what was to happen soon enough.

**Feel free to review, every writer loves them.**


	2. The Reflecting Pool

**Thanks for the reviews of the last chapter. I thought everyone would hate it. Sorry these chapters are so short, I am terrible at elaborating. Plus I have to get up for work in 7 hours, so I was just trying to finish this chapter before I could go to bed.**

Brennan sat on a park bench nursing a cup of coffee, just waiting for Booth to appear. She would frequently scan the crowds of people, hoping to see his familiar gait as he approached her. Her nerves were getting the better of her as her impatience began to grow. She had been away from him for 365 days and having to spend even another second without seeing him was making her anxious.

"Come on Booth." she said under her breath. As if on command, she heard his voice call for her. Her excitement increased as she tried to find where he was. Then, she spotted him. Walking his manly walk, a smile spread across his face, he picked up the pace as Brennan stood from the bench and sped toward him.

"Bones!" Booth exclaimed when they reached each other. His smile was radiant as always. There was an awkward period where neither was sure what to do next. Booth quickly changed that when he swooped in and wrapped his arms around Brennan's slender frame. "Bones, you have no idea how much I missed you." Booth said into her hair.

"I missed you too." Brennan breathed, as a tear fell down her cheek. They broke away from each other, smiled and hugged again. "Booth, I have so many things I need to tell you, so many things I discovered about myself while I was away."

They let go of each other to face one another, each with a silly grin slapped on their face. "Bones, before we talk, there is someone I want you to meet." Booth said, turning around and calling, "Claire!" A 30-something, tall, beautiful blonde approached Booth and Brennan. "Bones, this is Claire. We met in Afghanistan about two months ago. She's was one of the doctors there treating wounded soldiers." Booth introduced. "Claire, this is the infamous Dr. Temperance Brennan."

Claire smiled sweetly, extending her hand toward Brennan, whose face was revealing shock and heartbreak, that neither Claire nor Booth picked up on. "Nice to meet you Dr. Brennan."

"Uh…uh…yes, it is nice meeting you too." Brennan sputtered out, trying to rid herself of the irrational feeling of betrayal.

"I've heard so many wonderful things about you from Seeley." Claire said. "He speaks very highly of you. When we first met, I thought for sure he was in love with you, but he has since assured me he is not." Claire chuckled, not realizing the nerve she struck in both Booth and Brennan.

"So, you two are dating?" Brennan asked, hoping the answer was not what she was expecting.

"Yeah," Claire said, "I have been stateside for about three weeks now waiting for Booth to return to D.C., but we met on base where I was treating one of his buddies for a bullet wound to the arm. He asked me to have dinner with him that night and we've been almost inseparable ever since." She said, looking up to Booth, who was smiling at her.

"So, Bones, there was something you wanted to discuss?"

"Oh, no. It can wait for another time. Let's just enjoy the day together, now that we are both safe here in the U.S." Bones said, trying to get away from the subject of love.

"Should we go to the diner?" Booth suggested.

"Okay." Brennan agreed.

**A/N: The next few chapters will be a little harder for me to write. I have the ending already planned and I have written the 4th/5th chapter, I just need some foundational chapters to lead up to the good stuff. Hope you enjoy the rest that will be coming! If inspiration hits, I might have another chapter up by tomorrow around 3am CST and since I don't work until 4pm on Sunday, I might actually be writing until 3am.**


	3. Outburst at the Diner

**Sorry this took so long to post. I was having a really difficult time writing this chapter, hence the reason it is so short. I just need to get through the next two chapters and that's when the good stuff happens, which is actually already written.**

Brennan sat uncomfortably across the table from the two lovebirds. Booth was smiling like she had never seen him before. He had moved on and she could see it in his mannerisms. She felt as though her heart was being crushed. Now, it was her turn to move on and she didn't think she could. If only she had told him at the airport a year ago. But a year ago, she was in denial that she had feelings for him. It took the trip to Maluku to understand her deepest feelings for him were love.

"So, Bones, how was Makapoopoo?" Booth asked, finally turning away from Claire, whom he had his arm around.

"Maluku." she corrected.

"Right, that's what I said."

"It was an exceptional find, if I do say so myself. The remains were in pristine condition for their age…" Brennan continued telling of the findings, allowing herself to get consumed with something other than the deep despair she felt over having Claire in the picture. "So, Claire, do you live in the area?" Brennan asked, when she finished her story.

"Yes, I do. Isn't that weird? I have had a practice in the area for many years and I end up meeting Seeley in Afghanistan."

"Yes, that is 'weird'." Brennan stated with a half-hearted smile.

Claire, too engrossed in Booth, didn't even sense the disdain in Brennan's voice. Booth did though. "Hey, Bones, could I talk to you outside for a second?"

"Um, sure…" Brennan hesitated. "What for?"

"Just come on." Booth said, standing up from his chair. "We'll be back in a second, Claire."

They both exited the diner and Booth sighed deeply. "Bones, I don't understand what is wrong with you? You seem to have changed a lot since a year ago. You don't even act like yourself anymore."

"Here's the thing, Booth. I have changed a lot. I came to learn a lot of things about myself and the ones I love. I realized things that I tried to keep hidden from myself. I have changed!" Brennan got defensive and didn't mean to raise her voice.

"Bones, calm down." Booth attempted to soothe her.

"No, Booth, I will not calm down. There are things I wanted to tell you about my time in Maluku. Very important things. But then you show up with a girlfriend and you invite her to the diner, which is OUR place and … and … I can't talk to you anymore." Brennan exclaimed. "I'm just going to go home. I need to relax. I need to be in my own space. I need to unwind. It has been a long year and I just want to go home and be by myself."

Booth was at a loss for words. He had never seen Brennan so worked up over anything. "Bones, just come back inside and we can talk about this later. I would love to hear everything about Maluku when Claire is at home, if that is what you want."

"No, I'm just going to go home. I'll see you later. We will discuss what we are going to do about our working relationship at another time." Brennan said, as she started off toward her car to head home.

"Bones!" Booth called.

Brennan didn't even turn around, just held out her hand to signal that was the end of the conversation.


	4. First Case

**This is my least favorite chapter because it is basically a filler. I am posting another chapter tonight though, so that should hopefully make up for the crap of this chapter. I am terrible at doing case stories. I have read some amazing case stories on here, so I will not even attempt to write stuff like that. I am not meant to write mystery.**

Brennan didn't see or talk to Booth for almost a week. She ignored his calls and was glad he had yet to show up at her apartment. During that time she went back to work with the Jeffersonian. She only assumed Booth got reinstated as an FBI agent, so it would only be a matter of time before he got a case and they would have to work together again. She missed working with him, but she knew it was going to be difficult to be around him knowing he was with someone else. She finally understood what he went through the year before when she requested they still work together after he admitted wanting to give them a shot. She felt terrible for putting him through the same pain she was going through.

She arrived at work at her usual time that morning, earlier than everyone else. She walked directly to her office, unlocked the door and booted up her computer. As everyone slowly arrived, she started work on identifying another limbo case. Just as she discovered that the remains belonged to Civil War soldier killed by a gunshot to the chest, she heard her name.

"Bones!" Booth called. "We've got our first case!" He bounded up the stairs to the platform.

Her heart jumped at the sound of his voice. She looked up fearing what she felt toward him would be evident in her eyes. She smiled weakly, happy to see him again, yet anxious to have to be around him.

"The victim was found a couple hundred yards off a major freeway hidden by brush. We aren't sure how long they have been there, which is where you come in."

"Okay, let me just put these bones away and we can go." Brennan said.

They arrived at the crime scene and got to work right away. The ride over was pretty silent, except for a few exchanges of pleasantries. They both found it to be quite awkward, but neither dared mention Claire and what happened the last time they spoke. While Booth conducted interviews with the people who discovered the remains, Brennan evaluated how the team was going to transport the body back to the Jeffersonian. The remains were underneath a tarp, but that didn't keep it from being exposed to the elements. Brennan estimated the time of death to be about a week prior. The victim was female, approximately 30-35 years of age and was shot through the head. They finished everything up pretty quickly, still efficient as ever. They got back into Booth's SUV to head back to the lab with the remains.

Just as Booth pulled up to the Jeffersonian to drop off Brennan he said, "Bones, there is something I have to tell you about Claire."

Brennan panicked, she didn't want to hear anything about Claire and was quite grateful that Booth had just pulled up in front of the Jeffersonian. "Can it wait? I really should get to work on those remains." she lied, jumping out of the car and speed walking toward the lab before Booth even had a chance to get another word in.


	5. Bones' Vantage Point

**This chapter was written before all of the others. Hence the reason it has been quite hard to write the beginning, because I liked this part of the story. I hope you enjoy!**

The next day, case file in hand, Brennan strode toward Cam's office to tell her the latest developments of the case. As she approached the doorway, she could hear that familiar voice that made her heart skip beats. Her time in Maluku and Daisy's prying, helped her realize that her heart skipping beats when she heard Booth's voice was because she was in love with him. She stood outside the door, not meaning to eavesdrop, just not wanting to interrupt.

"I'm in love with her." Booth announced.

Brennan's interest was piqued. Ever since Booth came home from Afghanistan with Claire, Brennan feared the day when he officially moved on. She hid herself behind the door, making sure to not be seen, not even daring to take a peek.

"You're in love with Claire?" Cam asked. There was a pregnant pause. "Oh, I see." she said, sounding surprised. "Are you going to tell her?"

"I don't know, Cam. I don't know. I don't want to scare her away. I'm just so … intoxicated by her. Every time I think I am about to tell her, I clam up. I'm afraid she will run. I don't want to risk losing her. I love her."

"Love is risky, Seeley. You can't let that fear run your life though. But love is worth it."

Brennan fought back the tears that the news brought. She lost him. She missed her chance to tell him that she loved him and she lost him. She wiped away a stray tear, put herself together and quietly knocked on the door. She poked her head in the room. Booth turned around, fear in his eyes.

"How long have you been standing there?" he asked nervously.

"Long enough."

"I never meant for this to happen, Bones. I just never wanted to …"

"Booth, you don't owe me an explanation." Brennan interrupted. "You should tell Claire. I've seen the way she looks at you. She loves you too."

"Bones … wait."

"No, it's okay, Booth. I understand." Brennan said, walking closer to Booth and Cam. "Here Cam, I brought you the new developments on the case." She handed the file over, smiled wistfully at Booth, turned and walked out the door. Brennan sped-walked to her office, but passed by an observant Angela.

"Bren!" She called, with no response. "Bren, what's wrong?" She attempted to catch up with her, but she was too quick and slammed her office door behind her, but not locking it. Angela knocked on the door and found Brennan sitting on her couch, her head in her hands. She was crying, but was trying to hide it. "Brennan, what's wrong, Sweetie?" Angela asked again, coming over and taking a seat next to her best friend.

"I lost him." Brennan cried into her hands. She looked up at Angela, tears streaking her face, her eyes red. "I lost him." She whispered.

"Who?"

"Booth. He's in love with Claire, I just heard him telling Cam."

"Oh, Sweetie. I'm so sorry." Angela responded, pulling Brennan into a hug.

"I just don't know what to do. I ran away to Maluku because I couldn't understand or deal with what I was feeling every time I was with him. It took me a year to become fully aware that I was in love with him. I am in love with Booth and I'm too late." Brennan melancholically concluded.

"Oh, Bren, I don't know what to say for once other than that I am so sorry you are going through this. I never would have seen this coming. You and Booth … are meant to be together and if Booth is too stupid to realize that, then I say the hell with him."

"I wish it were that easy, Ange. I don't think I can compartmentalize my feelings this time around. I've done it with every other relationship I ever had, but Booth is so much different. I am unabashedly in love with him and I don't think I can put my feelings for him in a metaphoric box and forget about it."

"I'm not expecting you to do that …" There was a knock at the door. Angela turned her head, while Brennan tried her best to hide the fact that she was crying.

"Bones." Booth said, hesitantly. "We need to talk."


	6. Booth's Vantage Point

**This is winding down pretty quickly because I can't think of a way to extend this story after the next couple of chapters. Maybe something will come to me in my sleep though.**

It was weighing on his mind and he needed to tell someone. He couldn't tell the one person he wanted to share everything with because he didn't know how she would react. Booth paced his office trying to figure out what he was going to do. He needed a friend. Someone who wouldn't reveal his secret. That's when he thought of her and took off toward the lab.

He arrived at her office and knocked lightly on the door. She turned to the sound and smiled when she saw it was him.

"I needed to talk to someone and I can't talk to Bones." Booth said, as he entered the office, leaving the door ajar.

"Is something wrong, Seeley?" Cam asked concerned.

"Yes. I broke up with Claire…" he blurted out.

"Oh, I'm sorry Booth, you two seemed like a nice couple."

"No, we weren't, at least not deep down. We weren't right for each other."

"What's wrong then? You seem to be glad that you ended the relationship." Cam questioned.

"I'm in love with her." Booth stated.

"You're in love with Claire?" Cam asked. Booth shook his head. Cam knew exactly where he was going with this. "Oh, I see. Are you going to tell her?"

"I don't know, Cam. I don't know. I don't want to scare her away. I'm just so … intoxicated by her. Every time I think I am about to tell her, I clam up. I'm afraid she will run. I don't want to risk losing her. I love her." Booth said, the memories from a year ago when he tried to tell her his feelings came flooding back.

"Love is risky, Seeley. You can't let that fear run your life though. But love is worth it."

Suddenly their was a knock on the door and Booth turned on his heel and saw it was his heart's desire standing there, sadness in her eyes. Booth panicked. She heard everything, he thought. She was going to run away from him. He couldn't let that happen, not again. "How long have you been standing there?" he asked nervously.

"Long enough." Bones said

"I never meant for this to happen, Bones. I just never wanted to …" Booth attempted to explain that he never moved on, even though he tried.

"Booth, you don't owe me an explanation." Brennan interrupted. "You should tell Claire. I've seen the way she looks at you. She loves you too."

"Bones … wait." Booth tried to correct her.

"No, it's okay, Booth. I understand." Brennan said, walking toward them and handing over a file. "Here Cam, I brought you the new developments on the case." And with that, she left the room.

Booth, in shock, turned to Cam, looking for help as to what he should do. His mouth was open, but he couldn't find the words to speak. "She doesn't know." He finally sputtered out.

"You should tell her. I am sure she is devastated by her belief that you love Claire. She's changed, Seeley. She's changed in the year you were apart. I believe her feelings for you have only grown. She should know the truth. She deserves the truth. Even if it scares her away, she should know that you haven't moved on and that you will be waiting for her until she's ready."

"I should tell her." Booth said softly, turning to look back at the door. "I should tell her." He said again, as he bolted for the door. The first person he spotted was Hodgins up on the platform. "Hodgins! Have you seen Bones?" he yelled.

"Yeah, Angela went chasing after her into her office. She looked pretty upset."

Booth headed toward Brennan's office, determination in his step. He hesitated outside her door. How was he going to tell her without scaring her away? He got up his nerve and finally knocked on the door.


	7. The Talk

**Sorry this took so long to post. I was trying to figure out how to make it better, but I gave up and decided to post it in it's not-as-great stage than hold out for much longer.**

Angela left the office, so Booth and Brennan were alone. Booth was hesitant to approach the couch where Brennan was trying to hide the fact that she had been crying. She still hadn't looked at him. "Bones, we need to talk." He repeated as he took a step closer.

Brennan stood up suddenly and tried to shield her face from Booth. "I'm sorry, Booth. I don't think I can." She attempted to get by him, but he grabbed her forearms before she could get away.

"No, Bones, I don't think you cannot. I have something very important to say."

Brennan stopped struggling to get away and finally looked him in the eyes. Her eyes were reddened and puffy, even from the short time she had been crying. "Booth, please?" She pleaded. "I don't think I can hear it. My time in Maluku changed me. It changed how I feel about you. Well, my feelings never changed for you, I just realized what they were when I was over there. Booth, I can't have you tell me you love another woman, when I…" she paused, trying to best plan what she was going to say next. "Booth, the thing is…"

"Bones, let me just say something." Booth interrupted, knowing what she was about to say. "Bones, it's you." He said simply, dropping his hands to her waist.

"What?" she asked, confused. "What's me?"

"It's you, Bones." He reiterated. "Bones, I never loved Claire. We actually broke up several days ago because I'm still in love with someone else. Someone who I have loved for so long, someone I could never move on from. That someone is you, Bones. I love you, not Claire. Just you."

A single tear fell from Brennan's eye. "But you just said in Cam's office that you were in love with Claire."

"I was talking about you, Bones. I tried my damnedest to get over you. I tried to move on, but I couldn't. I love you too much. I can't get over you, my love for you is eternal. It will never fade, it will never die."

"Miss Wick said something similar about eternal love." Brennan said, sniffling a bit.

"Well, she's right."

"The concept of eternal love is preposterous…" Brennan began, but stopped herself. "Booth, my time in Maluku taught me many things about anthropology. But it also taught me many things when it comes to love. I realized I was in love with you within a month of being there. I longed to tell you, but I knew you deserved better than me, so I didn't."

"There is nothing better than you." Booth said, with a smile, bringing his hand to her cheek, caressing it softly and wiping away a tear that had fallen. "Bones, I love you." he repeated.

Brennan sucked in her breath, smiled as she looked into his dark eyes and said softly "Booth, I love you too."

Booth wrapped his arms around her waist, drew her in close so they were just a breath away. "I'm so glad to hear you say that." His lips smashed into hers in a heated display of passion and pent up desire for one another. The kiss drew deeper as she brought her arms around his neck. Their tongues met and their hearts beat as one. They separated briefly, only to miss the connection they had and began to kiss one another once again. Brennan was crying, not in sadness, but in elation. She could taste the tears as they moved down her face to her mouth. The pulled apart, looked into each others eyes, filled with deep longing and desire. They smiled blissfully as their heads met, foreheads touching.

"It's only taken us seven years…" Brennan whispered. "I'm sure everyone will be happy to know about our new relationship development."

"I'm sure they will." Booth said, smiling even wider.

"I don't even care if they don't let us be partners anymore, just so long as I can kiss you whenever I want to." Brennan said, shocking Booth, his face reflecting so.

"Really? You'd give up our partnership for love?"

"In an instant." Brennan assured.

Booth smiled again, then said "I'm so glad to hear you say that" and drew her into another kiss.

THE END

**A/N: I know it ended kinda abruptly, but that is how I roll.**


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